There is currently an increasingly large consumer demand for low-cost sanitary foods which are packaged and ready-to-eat. A variety of techniques and materials have been used for packaging various types of food products in order to provide for their safe storage, shipping, and handling, as well as to provide for their easy consumption.
One common type of ready-to-eat food is the sandwich (or sandwich-type foods such as hamburgers, hotdogs, pita-sandwiches, falafel sandwiches, gyros, subs, heros, tacos, burritos, etc., which will hereinafter be collectively referred to as sandwiches). Sandwiches find widespread use in fast-food-type operations. Additionally, sandwiches are commonly used for school lunches and other packaged meals (e.g., in airline meals, and in vending machines).
The bread in sandwiches usually absorbs moisture from the sandwiches' fillings. This moisture adversely affects the sandwiches' taste and texture. Accordingly, when moist fillings such as egg salad or tuna salad are used, the sandwiches must be consumed within a relatively short period of time, which is inconvenient and uneconomical. Sandwiches which are intended to last for several hours or more are generally made with relatively dry fillings, such as turkey, salami, or ham.
In the airline industry, it is typical that from the time the food is prepared by a caterer until the time the food is served to passengers aboard an aircraft, four or more hours will have passed. Because of this delay, airlines typically serve sandwiches which have substantially dry fillings, and avoid sandwiches which contain moist fillings such as tuna salad or egg salad.
A large number of moist and/or sticky products are commonly used as sandwich fillers. Moist and/or sticky sandwich fillers include egg salad, tuna salad, chicken salad, and peanut butter and/or jelly, as well as various condiments such as mustard, ketchup, and tomatoes. Sandwiches made using many of these products require refrigeration or special handling to insure that they do not spoil. However, refrigeration at times may be inconvenient or unavailable. Moreover, refrigeration adversely affects the taste of the bread and therefore may not be desirable or advantageous.
Although there are a number of prior art methods to deal with the aforementioned problems associated with sandwiches containing moist and/or sticky fillings, none of them provide for an easily-dispensed, sanitary, long-lasting, fresh-tasting sandwich.
One common prior art method requires that the sandwich filler be packed separately from the bread. Although this method does keep the bread from absorbing moisture from the filling, it requires that the user make the sandwich after unpacking the bread and unpacking the filler, which is inconvenient. Additionally, the extra handling involved in making the sandwich increases the likelihood that the sandwich will become contaminated, and requires the use of utensils which may be unavailable.
Another method uses an array of chemicals to seal meat that is used in sandwiches and to inhibit bacterial growth. The completed sandwiches are then vacuum-sealed. However, because chemicals are added to the food product, the flavor and/or consistency of the food is altered. Additionally, this system does not provide for individual selection of various combinations of breads and fillers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,653,685 to Leary, et al., entitled “Dual compartment sandwich package,” discloses a dual compartment sandwich package fabricated of foamed polystyrene or the like and adapted to retain therein in appealing and acceptable form a sandwich including a hot meal portion, such as a hamburger, and a cool trimmings portion, such as lettuce and tomato. The package comprises two compartments, one for containing the hot meal portion and the other to retain the cool trimmings portion. While this product maintains the sandwich components in an acceptable condition for a longer period of time than a fully assembled sandwich would be, it requires a larger container (which is about twice as large as a single-compartment container) and additional materials, and also requires the user to assemble the sandwich before use, thus adding inconvenience and increasing the likelihood of contamination during assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,312,641 to Castillo, entitled “Non-spread peanut butter slices and method of making,” discloses a non-spread, sliced peanut butter product containing chunky peanut butter, powdered egg white, flour, and an emulsifier. The ingredients are mixed together, and pressed or extruded into sheets which are about the length and width of a bread slice and about 0.2 inches thick. However, this product has a different composition and texture from conventional peanut butter and requires that the user handle the product when applying it to the bread.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,165,521 to Mayfield, entitled “Food products utilizing edible films and method of making and packaging same,” discloses an edible material thin film which is applied to at least one side of a sticky or moist food product. The food product with edible material thereon may be used to make sandwiches, or stored without additional protection. However, because this material is added to the food product, it alters the flavor and/or consistency of the food and is therefore not desirable. Additionally, the invention does not provide for a sanitary holding means before the food product is applied to a desired object, such as a slice of bread. Moreover, the invention does not provide for the inclusion of gravy or other liquids with the food product.
Thus, there is a need for an easy-to-use packaged food dispenser which dispenses sandwiches that are fresh, sanitary and that have bread that is not soggy. Additionally, there is a need for a dispenser that can dispense packaged foods which does not require the use of utensils to remove the food from the package and apply it to the desired object. Furthermore, there is a need for a dispenser which can dispense packaged foods (such as sandwiches) from vending machines (and refrigerators and the like) while extending the life of the food. Moreover, there is a need for a package and dispenser which are ideally suited for fast-food meals, airline meals, and meals for armed-forces personnel.